Insulating rail connection for metal ties



Jan.1, 1929. 1,697,398

F. G. METCALF v INSULATING RAIL CONNECTION FOR METAL TIES Filed may 26.,1928 2 sneets=sneet 1 LM WZ I7 23 Y Y 52 o .a 1:5264 i mf F. G.'METCALFY INSNLATING RAIL CONNECTION Fon METAL TIES Jang, 1, 1929.

Filed May 26, 1928 `30 2 Sheetssheet 2 o "t 36 LH Patented Jan. l, i929.

reame FRANK G. METCALF, OF SANDY HOOK, CONNECTICUT.

INSULATING RAIL CONNECTION' FOR METAL TIES.

Application filed May 26,

This invention relates to improvement in metal tie and rail connectionsand part-icularly to connections of such character as will insulate andcushion the rail from the tie.

The object of this invention is to produce a simple, strong and durableinsulating railconnection for metal ties constructed with particularreference to silence under traffic and to immunity to excessive strainsand damage from the effects of temperature changes, etc.

`Wit-h this object in view my invention consists in an insulatingrail-connection for metal ties having certainv details of constructionand combina-tions of parts as will be here-` inafter described andparticularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken top or plan view of one end of a metal tie and asection of rail, showing my improved insulating rail-connection;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a corresponding view on the line 4-4 of Fig. l; y

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the rail-supporting pla-te;

ig. is a corresponding view of the insulating cushion-block; and

Fig. 8 is a top or plan view of one of the rail-clips det-ached. Y

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a trough-shapedsheetanetal tie 10 having the upper edges of its side walls' 11 turnedoutward to form stiffening flanges 12 upon the upper face of which nearthe end ofthe tie I position a rail-supporting plate 13 which spans thegap between the respective side walls 11 and is secured at its cornersto the said flanges 12 bymeans of rivets 14.

The central portion of the rail-plate 13 is struck downward to form ashallow pocket 15 depending between and extendingy lengthwise withrespect to the side walls 11 of the tie and designed for the lreceptionof a Correspondingly-shaped blockl of wood or other suitable insulatingand cushioning material. The respective ropposite ends of therail-supporting plate 13 are turned downward between the side walls 11of the tie to form complementary legs 17 which snugly engage theV saidside walls 11 and the bottom 18 oblong 1928. Serial No. 280,705.

of the tie so as to assist in bearing the load andin stiifening thetie-structure- Extending' transversely across and resting upon the upperface of the block v16 about midway the length thereof I position therail 19 which is anchored in place by means of four correspondingrail-clips 20 substantially U-shaped in cross-section and having theirside flanges 21 formed with aV plurality of notches 22 into which thelateral edges lof the base 23 of the rail 19 extend, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3.

rlhe outer end of each of the four railclips 2O above mentioned isstruck upward to form a shallow downwardly-facing pocket 24.to receive adomical boss 25 offsetting from the upper face ofa small rectangularfulcrum block 26 of insulating material. Midway the length of eachof thesaid rail-clips between the side flanges 2l thereof I strike the metaldownward to form a spherically-contoured socket 27 provided with`an'axial clearancepassage 28 and adapted to receive a ballendedsheet-metal cup 29 which in turn receives a bushing 30 of insulatingmaterial, the upper end of whichis formed with an annular Harige 3lextending over the outwardly-turned annular flange 32 .of they cup 29,which latter is also formed with an axial clearance-passage 33. Y

Extending axially through the insulating bushing 30 of each rail-clipand through the clearance-passages 28 and 33 aforesaid, YVas well asthrough y clearance-slots 34 and 35 formed respectively in the sideedges of the rail-supporting plate 13 and the flanges 12 ofthe tie 10,is the bodyfportion `of`an L'- shaped tiebolt 36, the lower laterallyoffset end 37 of which'. is adapted to extend inward into the interiorof the tie through either one of a pair of perforations 33 and 39 formedin the side walls 11 of the tie about midway the height thereof and toone side of the vertical center of the `rail 19. It'will be noted that apair of perforations 38 and 39 is providedfer each tie-bolt.

'Ihe upper end of each of the four tie-bolts -36 is threaded for thereception of a nut 40 which bears against the outer faceof a washer 41,the inner face of which in turn bears against the insulating bushing 30aforesaid. By screwing down upon the respective nuts 40 of the fourobliquely disposedtie-rods 36, the same will in turn pull downward uponthe rail-clips 20 and thereby hold the rail firmly against both verticaland lateral displacement upon the upper face of the insulatingcushion-block 16. 1

It will be understood by reference to the drawings that four rail-clips2O are employed, two of which are positioned over each of theoutwardly-turned flanges 12 of the tie 10, and

Y that of each pair of rail-clips one is disposed upon one side of therail and the other` upon the opposite side thereof. Beneath eachrailclip the flanges 12 and the opposite sides of the rail-supportingplate 13 are provided respectively with the clearance-slots 35 and 34aforesaid, through which the respective tiebolts 36 pass.

In the event that it is desired for any reason to change the angle ofinclination of the tie-bolts 36, this may be effected by shifting theinwardly-offsetting ends 37 thereof from one to the other of theperforations 38 and 39 already described and by engaging various ones ofthe notches 22 in the rail-clips with the edge of the base 23 of therail. The domicalv boss 25 of the insulating fulcrum-blocks 26 which fitvwithin the upwardly-struck sockets 24 ofthe said clips will under allordinary conditions prevent the displacement of the said blocks withrespect to their complementary rail-clips.

I wish to call attention to the fact that by means of the constructionabove described, in which the tie-bolts 36 engage the side walls of thetrou gli-shaped sheet-metal tie, not only is the rail firmly held inplace but the railsupporting plate is very largely relieved of thestrains which would tend to displace it lengthwise of the tie.Furthermore, by eX- tending the legs 17 of the supporting-plate downwardinto the tie, the transverse rigidity of the latter is so much enhancedvas to practically preclude the possibility of its'collapse.

I claim:

l. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath vthe same; of a rail-supporting plate ex.- tendingbetween the respective opposite side walls of the said tie; a combinedinsulating and cushion block carried by the said railsupporting plate;and fasteninganeans independent of the said rail-supporting plate andconnected to the side walls of the said tie for holding the said railin. place upon the said block; whereby the said rail-supporting plateissubstantially relieved of strains tending to shift thersame lengthwisewith respect to the tie.

2. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheetsmetal tiedisposed beneathl the same; of a rail-supporting plate eX-V tendingbetweenthe respective opposite side walls of the said tie and formed inits upper face with a shallow recess; a combined insulating and' cushionblock located in the said recess; and fastening-means independent of thesaid rail-supporting plate and connected Lacasse tending between therespective opposite walls` of the said tie and formed upon its oppositeends with inte-gral flanges turned at a right angle with respect toit'andv projecting downward into the said tie; a combined insulating andcushion block carried by the said railn supporting plate; andfastening-means independent of the said rail-supporting plate andconnected to the side walls of the said tie for y holding the said railin place upon the said block; whereby the said supportingfplate issubstantially relieved of strains tending to shift thesame lengthwisewith respect to the tie.

4. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same; of a rail-supporting plate eX- tendingbetween the respective opposite side walls of the said tie and formed inits upper face with a shallow recess and upon its opposite ends withintegral lianges turned at a right angle to it and projecting downwardinto the said tie; a combined insulating and Vcushion block located inthe said recess; and

in place upon the said block; whereby the said supporting-plate issubstantially relieved of strains tending to shift the same lengthwisewith respect to the tie. Y

5. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed' beneat-h the same; of fasteninganeans located on each of theopposite sides of the said rail and including rail-engaging clips andobliquelysdisposed oppositely-sloping tie-bolts extending between thesaid clips and the side walls of the tie for securing the said rail tothe tie.

6. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the said rail and formed in its side walls withsockets; of fastening-means located 'on each side of the said rail,including rail-engaging clips and obliquely-disposed oppositely-slopingtie-bolts engaging the said clips and the sockets in the sidewalls ofthe saidtie for holding the said rail in place. 7 The combination withva rail and a trough-shaped'sheet-metal tie disposed beneath the same andformed in its oppositel side walls with perforatiens; offastening-meansV located on each side ofthe said rail, includingrail-engaging clips and obliquely-disposed oppositely-sloping.L-shapedtie-bolts hooked at their lower ends into the perforations` in the saidtie and engaged at their upper ends with the said clips for holding thesaid rail in place.

8. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same and formed in its opposite side walls withsockets; of a rail-supporting plate extending between the respectiveopposite side walls of the said tie; a combined insulating and cushionblock carried by the said rail-supporting plate; and fasteningrneanslocated on each side of the said rail and including rail-engaging clipsand obliquely-disposcd oppositely-sloping tiebolts connectedat th-eirupper ends to the said clips and at their lower ends to the said socketsin the side walls of the said tie for holding the said rail in placeupon the said block; whereby the said rail-supporting plate issubstantially relieved of strains tending to shift the same lengthwisewith respect to the tie.

9. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same and formed in its opposite si-de walls withsockets; of a rail-supporting plate extending between the respective.opp0- site side walls of the said tie and formed in its upper face witha. shallow recess; acombined insulating and cushion block located in thesai-d recess; and fastening-means located on each side of the said railand including rail-engaging clips and obliquely-disposedoppositely-sloping tie-bolts connected at their upper ends tothe saidClips and at their lower ends to the said sockets in the side walls ofthe said tie for holding the said rail in place upon the said block;whereby the said rail-supporting plate is substantially relieved ofstrains tending to shift the same lengthwise with respect to the tie.

10. The combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same and formed in its opposite walls withperforations; of a rail-supporting plate extending between therespective opposite side walls of the said tie; a combined insulatingand cushion block carri-ed by the said plate; and fastening-meanslocated on each side of the said rail and including rail-engaging clipsand obliquely-disposed oppositely-sloping L-shape'd tie-bolts havingtheir lower ends hooked into the said perforations in the tie and theirinner ends engaged with the said clips for holding the said rail inplace upon the said block; whereby the said rail-supporting plate issubstantially relieved of strains tending to shift the same lengthwisewith respect to the tie. y

1l. rlhe combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same and formed in its opposite walls withperforations; of a rail-supporting plate extending between therespective opposite side walls of the said tie and formed in its upperface with a shallow recess; a combined insulating and cushion blocklocated in the said recess; and fastening-means located on each side ofthe said rail and including rail-engaging clips and obliquelydisposedoppositely-sloping L-shaped tiebolts having their lower ends hooked intothe-said perforations in the tieand their upper ends engaged with thesai-d clips for holding the said rail in place upon the said v block;whereby the said rail-supporting plate is substantially relieved ofstrains tending to shift the same lengthwise with respect to the tie.

l2. The combination with a rail and a, trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same; of a rail-supporting plate extending betweenthe respective side walls of the said tie; a combined insulating andcushion block carried by the said rail-supporting plate; rail-clips forholding the said rail in place upon the said block and formed at theirouter ends with upwardly-struck pockets; fulcrum-blocks located beneaththe outer ends of the said rail-clips and having bosses entering thesockets therein; and tiebolts connect-ing the said clips to the saidtie.

13. rThe combination with a rail and a trough-shaped sheet-metal tiedisposed beneath the same; of a rail-supporting plate extending betweenthe respective side walls of the said tie; a combined insulating andcushion block carried by the said rail-supporting plate; rail-clips forholding the said rail in place upon the said block and formed betweentheir ends with downwardly-struck spherieally-eontoured sockets having`axial openings; a ball-'ended cup positioned in the socket of the saidrail-clip; and a tie-bolt passing axially through the said socket andball-ended cup and engaged at its lower end with th-e vside walls of thesaid tie.

ln'testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

` FRANK G. METCALF.

